Fever
by Xxmilk-candy1996xX
Summary: A 'Siblings' fic. Akiakane, Akari, Shirogane, Kou and Mayu are all away. Kengo is sick and Akira has no choice but to take care of him. Full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

_Full summary: A 'Siblings' fic. Akiakane had to go to Ikebukuro for a photoshoot for the autumn line, and Akari accompanied him there for the weekend. On the same day they left Kengo was absent from school. Mayu had left for a business trip to Tokyo. There's no other choice but for Akira to take care of him, which he doesn't really know how..._

**A new Monochrome Factor fic~~~ And as usual, AkiKen. XD I think this will be at most 10 or 12 chapters… Though I originally intended to make this just about five chapters… I got carried away… -v-**

**For those who'd never read Siblings, my other fic, before, Nikaidou Akari is Akira's younger twin sister, with a personality a bit similar to Kengo and is very tall. Nikaidou Akiakane is their 21-year-old older brother, model/actor, and is very tall too. His personality is on the bright side too. ^_^  
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Fever 熱

Chapter 1 第一話

_In the Nikaidou household…_

"Akira!" Akari gushed, hands on his shoulders. "Will you really be fine? I'm worried! What would you eat if I'm gone?"

"I said this about a hundred times already. I'm okay! And it's not like I couldn't even cook. And it's not like you guys are going for a month."

Akiakane came over to him. "Do you have any money? Is it enough? Here." He put some into Akira's hands without waiting for an answer, then rushed back up the stairs again to get his bag.

When his brother reappeared. Akira waved the money he had just received. "Aniki, I don't need this much."

"Oh, use it and go shopping with the others or something. I feel bad if I leave you cooped up in the house just like that."

"Oh okay then." He stuffed it into his pajama pocket. "Putting that aside, I'm more worried about you two airheads. Did you forget anything?"

"I don't think so," his two other siblings answered.

"Clothes?"

They nodded.

"Underwear?"

Nod.

"Toiletries?"

Nod.

"Cell phones?"

Nod.

"Are they fully charged?"

Nod.

Akira yawned. _I'm betting 500 yen that at least one of them forgot this. Though with whom I don't know._

"Scarves or coats?"

Akari nodded confidently before stopping halfway. "Aah! My lovely lovely scarf!" She ran upstairs before coming back down with a black scarf hung loosely around her neck. "Brr, it's getting cold now!"

"Well, it's autumn." Akiakane stared at his watch. "The taxi should be coming soo—"

"Here it is," Akira said, noticing the flashing yellow headlights outside. He put a coat on and stepped out reluctantly into the cold air with Akari's bag.

"Hey, you two didn't eat yet right?" he asked as they came out.

"Oho, don't worry, we have lots of snacks!" They held up a plastic bag full of it.

Akira sweat-dropped. "You two…are gonna be fat."

"No need to worry about that either! Everyday fighting with kokuchi keeps our tummies nice and smooth~" Akari said.

"I really want to hear you said that when you come back with a nice-rounded lump on your stomachs," her twin commented.

"O-kay~ Time to go!" Akiakane said."Bye, Aki~ See you on Sunday~" he said as he got in the front seat.

Akari was going to close the car door, before she stooped and looked at her brother still dressed in pajamas, and who at the moment was yawning widely and ruffling his own hair.

Akira noticed. "What?" he asked sleepily.

"Aki~ Don't go back to sleep. Go to school!"

A small '#' appeared on his head as he said "I got it!" with an irritated tone.

* * *

_**In the Asamura household, the previous night…**_

"_Ne-Nee-san?" Kengo asked, obviously surprised. His sister, who had a cold two days ago and who was still in bed when he left for school was now wearing work clothes and bags and clothes were scattered around the floor. "What are you doing?"_

"_My boss just called and he needs me to go on a business trip to Tokyo!"_

"_But… why so sudden?" Kengo asked, baffled._

"_His secretary was admitted to a hospital so now he needs me to fill in for her!"_

"_Hee~ When are you coming back?"_

_ Mayu was struggling to force the zip of her bag to loosen; it had caught the thread of a jacket in the middle. Kengo helped her. "Sunday," was the answer._

_** Ara, Aniki and Akari are going out tomorrow and coming back on Sunday too**__, he thought._

_ Mayu saw the taxi already outside waiting for her. She groaned. "Ugh! The taxi's already here!"_

_ Kengo took her heavy travel bag as Mayu rushed around looking for her handbag. As the driver put her bag in the trunk, Kengo said:"Take care, Nee-san. Make sure you don't catch a cold again!"

* * *

_

Kengo sighed raucously. Those were his last words to his older sister before she left for her last-minute business trip. Don't catch a cold. Now _he _was the one with something worse.

He turned his head slowly to his bedside table. Even that small and slow movement made his head throb. He tried to focus his bleary eyes on his digital clock. 7 a.m.

_ Aniki and Akari should already be on the move now. And Kou-nii and the others should have arrived, _he thought fuzzily. Shirogane and Kou are going somewhere near the mountains, though the purpose was unknown. Probably something to do with kokuchi. Those two wouldn't have paired up unless it was important. They would not be back for quite some time either.

His eyes scrunched up in pain as a cough choked itself fiercely free from his burning lungs and throat. _Ugh… I should probably tell somebody…_

He reached out weakly for his phone, and squinted at the screen as he struggled to type a text message. His fingers hovered and trembled over the keypad for a moment before he eventually gave up, flipped the phone shut crossly and placed it back on the bedside table with a clatter. _I can't even __**see **__properly, much less __**type**__._

He coughed again into his pillow. It was cold, as it usually was on early autumn mornings. He'd worn a thick long-sleeved shirt over his pajama shirt and thick socks over his ice-cold feet, yet it was still not enough. He still felt cold and his throbbed painfully from the lack of sleep.

_ I just hope either Akira or Aya notice I'm gone and come here. Then I wouldn't be so alone._

The thoughts circled around in his head as Kengo finally fell into a restless sleep.

* * *

**Sorry if it's too short… =P I had nothing else to add…**

**And if I had to list out their height, it would be like this: (continuation from earlier)  
**

**Akiakane: 181 cm**

**Akira: 175 cm **

**Akari: 173 cm ( haha, she's as tall as Kengo! That's what my ideal height is anyway... )  
**

**Kengo: 173 cm**

**Shirogane: 182 cm**

**Kou: ? Maybe 180? I never found his bio...**

**Aya: Around 163 cm I think...  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow! So many views in just one day! I'm so happy…! XD

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_Fever __熱_

_Chapter 2__ 第二話_

Akira sat at the kitchen table, eating buttered toast, fried eggs and sausages. After being around Akiakane and Akari for a few months he felt the silence awkward, them and Shirogane being chatty and sometimes downright annoying, although it was this silence that had accompanied him for years.

Still, he appreciated it. It was rare that almost everybody had some business to attend to at the same time. The only ones left behind were Aya, Kengo, Master, and himself.

He looked at his cell phone. Almost time to get ready for school.

"Don't feel like going to school…" he murmured aloud.

_That's decided then. I'm going out to buy some snacks, rent some DVDs and buy some manga to fill my pretty-empty schedule, _he thought.

After that he showered and made his way to the shopping district.

As he was waiting for the traffic light to turn green he got a message from Akari, saying that they'd arrived at Ikebukuro.

He was about to reply when the light turned green and the crowd started to push forward. He wasn't in the shopping district nearest to his home, he was in a bigger district, that's why there were so many people.

Akira was passing by a few parked cars when he felt somebody coming up behind him and lightly touching him on the shoulder.

"Akira-kun!"

He whirled around to see Morimiya Reiga, his brother's manager.

"Reiga-san! Weren't you supposed to be in Ikebukuro too?"

"Yeah, I'll be going later. Akane-chan told me to check on you before I go. Looks like I finished my work here early, so I was just about to go to your house when I saw you."

"Oh." _Akane-chan…? _he wondered. _New nickname for Aniki, huh. _"But wait, what'd happen if I were in school?"

"I kind of felt that you won't be going, and seems that I was right." Reiga looked at Akira's bags. "Shopping?"

"A little."

"Finished?"

"Yeah."

"Then come on, I'll give you a ride home. I bought some cake for you too." He opened the passenger door for Akira. "You could share it with your friends, I bought three."

"Oh. Thanks." Akira got into the car and balanced his bags on his lap as he fastened his seat belt.

* * *

"Thanks for sending me home, Reiga-san," Akira said to him in front of his house.

"Come on, no need for the honorifics!"

"But—"

"I'm the same age as your brother remember?"

"Reiga-kun doesn't seem appropriate now, is it?"

"Fine, fine, Reiga-san is fine," he pouted. "Oh well." He smiled, patting Akira on the shoulder. "Just don't anything about me giving you cake to those two."

"Okay."

"Bye then!" He climbed into his car and zoomed off.

Akira put the cake into the fridge before flopping down on the couch, looking at his cell phone. 10.30 a.m. He stared at it for a few seconds longer before it rang and vibrated and he almost dropped it.

"What?" he asked irritably, not even looking to see who the caller was.

"A-Akira?" A feminine voice said hesitantly, as if it hadn't expected for him to pick up.

"What, Aya?"

"Are you at school?"

_Of course not_, he thought. "Yup. I'm skipping class."

"Oh. Tell the homeroom teacher I had to go to Okinawa with my family for some emergency alright?"

"I'm sorry I'm actually at home," Akira said nonchalantly.

"What? Then you were lying to me?"

"'Course I am."

At the other end Aya sighed irritably.

"Why don't you ask Kengo?"

"I did, but something weird happened."

This caught Akira's interest and he sat up straighter. "What, he was kidnapped? It was the kidnapper that picked up?"

"No! He picked up, but there were rustling and he was breathing heavily. And he started to say something then there was a loud sound and that's it. I guess he dropped his phone or something, but I'm a hundred percent sure he didn't go to school either."

"Ceh," he said, sounding _almost _as if he was disappointed.

"Are you hoping that he'd be kidnapped?" Aya almost shouted.

"Oh shut up. I'll call him later then. Bye Aya."

* * *

Kengo's feverish light sleep was disturbed by the persistent ring and vibration of his phone. He tried to ignore it, but the ringing was just making his head ache worse.

He lay on his stomach and propped himself up with one elbow. He reached for the ringing vibrating thing and flipped it open.

"Hello?" It was Aya.

"Aya…?" His voice came out hoarse and and raspy. He tried to clear his throat but he felt a cough coming and lost his grip on his phone. It clattered to the floor and he coughed painfully.

Kengo sighed. Soon, just as he was starting to feel drowsy again his phone rang for the second time.

He picked it up. It was Akira this time.

"Osu."

"Hi…" Kengo tried to sound casual.

"You aren't in school right? Come over to my house. I have some cake here."

He considered. It was rare that Akira would invite him over, but he really wasn't feeling up to it.

"But if I go then I won't be alone…" he mumbled.

"What?"

"N-Nothing. I'll come."

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**Well then, hope you enjoy this story~~! ^_^ And again, sorry if it's so short...  
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	3. Chapter 3

_Fever __熱_

_Chapter 3__ 第三話_

"_Osu."_

"_Hi…" Kengo tried to sound casual._

"_You aren't in school right? Come over to my house. I have some cake here."_

_He considered. It was rare that Akira would invite him over, instead of __**him **__inviting __**himself**__ over, but he really wasn't feeling up to it._

"_But if I go then I won't be alone…" he mumbled._

"_What?"_

"_N-Nothing. I'll come."_

"Okay then." A pause. "See you later. Bye." He hung up.

"Well that was awkward," Akira said to himself. He started to tidy around a little.

* * *

Kengo got up slowly and washed his face numerous times. The ice-cold water helped to clear his fuzzy mind a little. He took a few seconds to stare at his sickly and hair-dripping-wet self and dried his hair slowly with a towel.

Then he put on the first clothes he set his eyes on—his thick green camouflage pants and a V-neck long-sleeved shirt with black and grey diamond print at the front and back. He didn't even care if it matched.

He caught himself in the mirror as he was passing by to get his jacket. Then he stared at his reflection. Black and grey diamonds and mixed up green splotches. He sighed and changed into black jeans instead.

He wore his midnight-blue lined black jacket, took his phone and keys, then made his way to Akira's. He didn't realize until the last minute that he was dressed all in black. Kengo didn't look like Kengo. _Oh well… Save the bright colours till I'm better…_

Outside, he felt even weaker than he was in bed. But he supposed some sunlight would be good. He looked at his feet with half-lidded eyes as he felt his way. He figured, even if he was blind, he'd still be able to find his way to the Nikaidou's. After all, he'd go there almost on a daily basis.

A few minutes later he arrived. He was starting to get woozy again. Kengo hadn't ate anything since last night when the headaches started. He had been lying in bed since, so of course he hadn't had any medication either.

The door was unlocked. He opened it and went in, locking it behind him.

"Akira?" he called.

"Oh. You're here," Akira said, coming out from the living room. He stared at him as Kengo slipped out of his sneakers. "Is it that cold today?"

"What?" Kengo said, looking up, two fingers still inserted in the back of his left sneaker, the other hand supporting himself against the wall.

"I mean, you're wearing that shirt and that jacket. Oh well. Come on. I bought some stuff earlier." _He doesn't look like his usual self… It's as if he's dressed in proper clothes for something important for once… And he doesn't look childish. Would Akari __**love **__to see Kengo dressed like this… _is what occurred to Akira the minute he set his eyes on Kengo.

Kengo sat in the couch as Akira went to the kitchen for a while.

"Eh? Akira," Kengo said. "Were you shopping?"

"I told you that a minute ago. Snacks, manga, and some DVDs," Akira said, crouching down in front of the TV and putting a CD in the player. Then he flopped down beside Kengo.

The motion rattled Kengo's head, and he put it in his hand. Akira noticed it.

"Are you alright?" he asked without much emotion, eyes trained on the TV.

"I'm okay," he laughed unconvincingly. "I just caught the cold Nee-san had."

"Oh. When is she coming back?"

"Sunday too."

"Hoo~ Your voice…"

"Huh?"

"It's weird." Akira opened a bag of chips, scooped up a handful, and dropped them into Kengo's hands.

They munched the chips quietly while watching TV. _This is getting awkward, _they both thought.

After one full hour of not talking, Akira stood up and stretched his body. Kengo was just feeling sleepy, eyes downcast and distant.

"Oi Kengo." Akira shook the remote in front of him. "You sleepy?"

"M-mm…" Kengo mumbled, rubbing at his eyes.

Akira turned off the TV.

"I'm hungry. What do you want?"

"Eh? Th-Then I'll help out too," Kengo said, flustered.

Akira stared at Kengo's back disapprovingly as they made their way to the kitchen. _You idiot… You know you're sick and still you're moving around as if you're okay… What an idiot…_

"Em… Then… Peel these and slice 'em." Akira put a few cloves of garlic and some shallots onto the countertop in front of Kengo. Then he set a cutting board and a knife beside them.

"What are we doing?" Kengo asked.

"I'm lazy to do anything else, so let's just make fried rice," Akira said as he crouched in front of the fridge. He pulled out some dried shrimp. Then he spotted a jar of kimchi.

"How about kimchi fried rice?"

Kengo looked up from his garlic clove. "Eh? Do you know how?"

Akira blinked. "Just mix in some kimchi and it'll be fine." He scooped two cups of rice grains into the rice cooker and stood next to Kengo as he peeled his ingredients slowly.

Another dizzy wave washed over Kengo. His eyebrows knitted together. Both his mind and vision was getting a little too fuzzy. His hand trembled as he gripped the knife tightly.

Akira snatched the knife away just as Kengo began to sway dizzily and collapsed on his knees.

"You're sick," Akira stated flatly.

Kengo grimaced. Of course Akira would've seen right through him and knew that it wasn't just a slight cold. If Akira didn't notice at all then he would've been wary of him constantly being one of the top five students at school.

"Yeah…" he mumbled in reply.

"Change of plans," Akira said curtly before switching off the rice cooker and pulled Kengo up and setting him down on the couch in the living room. He dropped the remote beside him.

"A-Akira…?" Kengo asked questioningly.

Akira crossed his arms. "I do _not _want kimchi-smelling puke in _my _house."

Kengo's stomach unwisely chose that time to grumble and protest. He hid his face under his bangs.

"…When was the last time you ate?"

"…Yesterday afternoon?" was the timid reply.

Small '#'s appeared on Akira's head. "_What _were you doing?"

"I was in bed till you called."

"Why didn't you tell me you were sick? You didn't really need to come."

"Because I didn't want to be alone," Kengo said before he even realized he said it. "Ah…" he clamped his mouth shut.

Akira stared at him for a few moments longer, then started to walk back to the kitchen.

Kengo turned his head around and was just going to say something before Akira cut him off.

"Don't say anything. I'm just gonna call Akari then make porridge." He turned back to face Kengo. "Be grateful because this is the only special service you'll ever get from me."

Akira smirked. "Just… rest for a while or something."

* * *

**Hehe… I suddenly thought of Coffee Prince when the main character made kimchi fried rice. It just popped into my head and now Akira and Kengo are **_**not **_**going to eat it, I'm afraid… After all I like the idea of Akira making Kengo porridge than fried rice!  
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	4. Chapter 4

**Another update! Haha! I wanted to finish this as quickly as possible so I can focus on Siblings and my Black Cat fic.

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_Fever __熱_

_Chapter 4__ 第四話_

"_The number you have called, cannot be reached. Please try again—"_

Akira flipped his phone shut, exasperated and blowing out a huff of air angrily. He looked over to the living room and saw the top of Kengo's head. He looked back to the slow cooker with the porridge. Then he went upstairs and brought his bag of new manga down with him. He leaned back against the countertop and read.

Several minutes passed before Akira thought he smelled something burning._ Uh-oh…_

He put the manga down without marking where he'd read and rushed to the slow cooker, turned it off, lifted the hot glassy surface, and peered in through hot steam.

The top and sides were slightly charred, but the inside was fine. Akira sighed as he got their lunch ready.

Two minutes later he set a tray bearing their lunch on the coffee table. And saw that Kengo was sleeping, with a part of his face shadowed by his sunny bangs.

"Kengo," he said, poking him. He felt warm. "Oi, Kengo."

Kengo blinked his eyes open. "Oops. Sorry…" He glanced at the tray on the table. "Woah Akira, you made this?"

"Of course I did," the other teen said, looking in another direction.

Kengo coughed, and reached for a glass of water. Akira reached for the same glass too. He snatched it away.

"You drink this your cough'll worsen tenfold. Yours is warm." Akira drank a mouthful of his iced water.

"What, seriously?"

"You really do believe just about anything, don't you?" _Just like Akari. Well, in her case, sometimes. _"Here, eat." Akira pushed a hot bowl of porridge towards him. Kengo ate a spoonful and his face instantly lit up. He grinned his usual grin.

"This is really good, Akira!" You're a genius!"

"Oh really?" Akira smirked. "Who do you think I am? Praise me more!"

"Genius! Genius!" Kengo laughed.

Akira laughed wryly. "Stop saying 'genius' already, I feel like a nerd."

As they ate, Kengo thought he saw some little black bits in Akira's bowl. He stirred his porridge slowly, letting the steam warm his face while searching for the tiniest trace of a black bit in his. There weren't any.

* * *

"_Guh…!"_

_Blood spilled to the floor. The blood of his most precious friend._

_Homurabi grinned devilishly and vanished._

_He reached Kengo, but it was too late. He collapsed on his knees._

"_Kengo…"_

"_I'm in the way again, am I…?" Kengo asked in a weak voice._

"_No you're not. You never are!"_

"… _Nee, Akira, am I… going to die?" Kengo's hand slid to the open wound on his chest Homurabi had inflicted._

_Akira's face twisted with pain and many other feelings he'd never experienced. Or wanted to._

"_No you won't! We came all this way together, you can't give up now! I won't forgive you if you die, Kengo!" he said as his hand clamped over Kengo's._

_His friend smiled despite all the pain he must be going through; despite the blood around his wound that had stained his clothes; despite a small trickle of it trailing from his mouth._

"_You're too kind, Akira…" A tear rolled down his cheek. "I guess… I guess I won't be able to guard your back anymore…"_

"_Of course you can! You're… my partner." He wiped away the trail of blood from Kengo's chin with the back of his hand._

"_Akira… you and Akari are the best friends I ever had." More tears leaked out of Kengo's eyes. "I'm glad… I was by your sides the whole time." He coughed out blood._

"_Don't talk anymore!" He glared half-heartedly at his dying friend._

"_If my destiny was to die, then… all the time we spent together… I'm very grateful for it!" Kengo's cries slowly started to become audible. Sad, painful cries._

"_Kengo…!" His grip on Kengo's hand tightened._

"_But…" he sobbed. "Still… I don't want to die! I don't want to die, Akira! I'm afraid… I still… I still want to be with you guys…"_

"_Kengo…!" Akira lowered his head, eyes tightly closed._

"_Laugh together… Eat together… Play around together… Fight together… I want… I wanted to relive those fun times again with you guys after this was over… But now…"_

_Akira's eyes started to water too. He tried not to let them fall, but, with his eyes tightly closed, it was impossible not to. A few drops of tears landed on Kengo's face. He was glad Akari wasn't there._

"_I'm sorry… I'm sorry, Akira…" Kengo's other hand slowly reached for Akira's face. It hung in mid-air as Akira ignored it and pressed his forehead to Kengo's._

"_It's okay, Kengo… Just wait until Shirogane or Akari gets here… They'll know what to do…" Akira gritted his teeth as he felt Kengo's heavy breathing slow down and his hand flop lifelessly to hang around Akira's shoulders._

"_Aki…ra…" Kengo smiled, the last vibrant and sunny smile he would ever give._

_Akira cried silently as he still gripped Kengo's hand over his chest. Even for him, he was willing to shed a tear. He had nothing else to give.

* * *

_

Akira woke up because of a sharp, stinging pain in his left arm. He also felt water in his eyes. _What the…? _He wiped them furiously away. He wasn't _crying, _was he? The pain was still there in his left arm though.

Kengo was asleep, and his hands gripped Akira's arm. He touched it. He was hot. His fingers were trembling and his fingernails dug painfully into his flesh.

Akira sighed.

"This is why I hate it when you get really sick," he muttered.

Akira leaned back. _What was I dreaming about? Ah, just forget about it. _He looked at the wall clock. 4.15 p.m.

The pain in his arm was getting unbearable. He decided to endure it for thirty seconds longer, keeping his eyes trained on the second hand of the clock.

When Kengo gets really sick he becomes clingy. Though the only time Akira was there was when they were still twelve, a few weeks after Akari had left for Miyamori.

He had tried to make dinner for Kengo, and that night both of them ended up having food poisoning. Ever since then he had run away whenever there was news Kengo was sick.

Akira exhaled and looked at Kengo. He tried to pry his fingers from his arm.

"Mph…?" was Kengo's sleepy inquiry.

"Your fingers. At this rate they're gonna leave bruises on my arm."

Kengo immediately let go, dropping his hands. "Sorry…"

Akira didn't answer, instead fingering the crescent-shaped red marks on his arm and turning on the TV. There was a travel show airing, at a restaurant that serves insects as food. There was sushi with silkworms poking out of it. Akira's nose wrinkled in disgust as a woman popped it in her mouth and chewed.

Unconsciously Kengo thought of porridge. Warm, sloppy porridge with bits and pieces of other ingredients in it. His stomach twisted.

At another table a customer ate a sandwich. Unidentifiable little hairy legs can clearly be seen poking out of it.

"Yuck!" Akira said.

Another customer dipped a fried grasshopper in sauce and bit in it. The two of them could hear a _crunch_-like sound as he chewed it.

Kengo was trying to take deep breaths to try and soothe his swimming stomach until he saw a customer eating porridge with brown bits in it and a tempura side dish. He gripped Akira's hand next to him.

"Hm? What's wro—" Akira stopped mid-sentence when he saw Kengo's pale face. He was clamping the other hand over his mouth.

"Oh shit."

* * *

**Ughhh…. Even writing about it is already making **_**me **_**feel sick… But still, I admire those who can swallow them down! If it was me, I would've backed down… Unless I saw a cockroach then I would've passed out… I hate 'em cockroaches…**

**By the way the **_italics _**passage above was Akira's dream, in case you got confused. I really really hope Kengo doesn't die~~! I love him too much~~!****  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks to MonochromeFox for her review~~~! Aha, I'm so happy… Well then, on to the 5****th**** chapter!

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_Fever__熱_

_Chapter 5__ 第五話_

"Oh shit. Please don't throw up here, Kengo!" Akira said as he charged to the bathroom, dragging Kengo behind.

He closed the door behind him and tried to think of something else to distract him. He couldn't help but think of the bug sushi and sandwich and tempura. That triggered him.

Kengo's stomach lurched, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he threw up the remains of his lunch.

Akira waited with his back to the wall and trying not to think of Kengo throwing up inside. He heard the toilet flush and turned to face the door in time to see Kengo gripping the doorframe and slumping forward. Akira caught him. He felt very weak.

"You all right?"

Kengo shook his head weakly, his head buried in Akira's shoulder.

Akira half-carried, half-dragged Kengo to the living room and laid him down on the couch.

Kengo's bangs were plastered in a clump on his forehead. Akira found it very annoying and sweeped it away. And slapped his hand to Kengo's forehead. He was even hotter than before.

"Oi. Aren't you even hotter than before?" he asked him. He didn't realize that when Kengo had gripped his hand before, because Akira's sleeve was long and half-covered his hand, or when he had held it and dragged him to the bathroom, because Kengo was wearing that long-sleeved shirt of his.

"Don't know…" was the mumbled reply. Akira's hand was cold. Comfortably cold.

"Did you take any medicine?" Akira thought back to when Kengo said he was in bed all the time and didn't even eat.

"No… I couldn't walk properly down the stairs, even if I wanted to."

Akira sighed. "I thought so. Wait here, I'll go look for some." He started to get up from his place on the floor by Kengo's head.

"I'm fine!" Kengo pressed Akira's hand back to his forehead.

Akira sat back down. "Don't be stupid."

"I'm fine, so just… stay like this for a while…."

Akira stared at him. Even though he was weak, his grip on his hand was still pretty strong. "But you're blazing hot. And sweaty," he grumbled.

"And you're cold."

"… You're the one that's too hot." Akira yawned.

"I'm sorry…"

"For what?"

"For always troubling you guys…"

"Hm, doesn't matter." Akira switched places with his other hand on Kengo's forehead, uncurling Kengo's fingers. As soon as Akira's other hand made contact with his forehead the fingers curled around him again. _Come on, go to sleep already… _Akira thought as he watched Kengo relaxing. His breathing evened a few minutes later and Akira slowly recovered his hand, uncurling the fingers again.

"Ee~_yes _he's finally asleep again," he said to himself and went to the kitchen.

"Are? Where did Akari keep the medicines again?" he said aloud as he tried to call her again. This time she picked up.

"Akari?"

"Hi Akira!"

"Where were you guys? I called you just now."

"Oh, you know what, we got mobbed by fans earlier. Then we went to the studio with Reiga-san."

"Where are you now?"

"In the hotel room. Aniki's tired. He came in, dumped our bags, and crashed. With his shoes still on. I took them off for him."

"It's a good thing he doesn't have stinky feet, huh. Oh yeah, where—"

"You know, you inherited that trait from him." She cut him off.

"What?"

"You know, when you get tired, you lie down and poof! You never wake up."

"No I don't."

"Don't deny it. It is a fact that I, Nikaidou Akari have uncovered about you, my most loved person—"

"Shut up…"

"No, really! Remember the other day? Where we went to visit Kou-nii and suddenly there was this _huge _pack of kokuchi waiting for us?" Akari continued.

"Uh-huh. If I remember correctly Kengo was surrounded by most of them."

"Yeah yeah! And then he was punching one of these guys, and then another kokuchi's hand caught the fabric of his clothes and then he was sailing over the air as if he was flying!" Akari started laughing.

Akira laughed too. "Tha-that face he was making…"

"He was yelling 'Aaaaakiraaaaaa~~~!'" Akari said, mimicking Kengo's voice. "Hey, I wasn't going to talk about that!"

"Then what were you going to talk about?"

"After that we went to Kou-nii's house and find that he's gone and then on the way home some guys asked for a fight right?"

"Yeah…" There were five of them, all big and ridiculously muscular and brutish, Akira recalled.

"And then you started glaring at them as if they'd killed me or something. Then they said 'what the fuck are _you _staring at, pretty boy?' and then you said—"

"Ara, you think I'm pretty? _You're _the one that was asking for a fight weren't you?" Akira repeated his words boringly.

"And _then _we kicked their asses right? And then we went home and _plop_, you plop down in the sofa, got comfortable, grumbled 'I'm way too tired', and slept like a log until Aniki came back. _Remember?_"

"…So?"

"_So_, you and Aniki are like that! The type of person that starts to space out or sleep when they get tired! Like a cell phone that needs to be charged regularly!"

Akira sighed. "Akari… I called you not to talk about our habit; I called you to ask a question."

"Ara, then are you acknowledging the fact that you and Aniki are described as a cell phone that won't work until they are charged?"

Several small '#'s popped on Akira's head.

At the other line, Akari was enjoying every minute of this. Since, of course, it was rare to get to bully Akira when he wasn't around to beat her up.

"I bet you're enjoying every minute of this, aren'tcha? Since, of course, it's rare to get to bully me when I'm not there to beat you up?"

"You really are my twin!"

"You dumbass."

"Uhh… You cut me real deep, brother."

"_As I was saying_, where did you put the medicine, Akari?"

"In the left cabinet beside the pretty tableware by the counter. Why? Are you sick?"

"Not me. Kengo. He has a fever. And he didn't even eat anything since last night until I called him and he came here."

"Really? How is he?"

"He keeps sleeping and waking up and sleeping again. I made some porridge earlier, but he just threw up."

"Seriously? Where?"

"I dragged him to the toilet."

"Hee~ Is it that bad?"

"I guess. He's getting hotter and hotter. And he's sweating and his face is all red."

_That's how everybody gets when they're sick, isn't it? _Akari thought. "Shouldn't you be taking him to the hospital then?"

"I'll see. If he doesn't cool down then I will."

"Okay. Call me if anything happens, okay? I gotta go, we have to go to studio again soon."

"Got it. Bye."

"Em, bye-bye!" She hung up.

Akira got out a couple of paracetamol pills, some aspirin and something for the coughs. He held the pills in his palm and a glass of warm water in the other hand, making his way towards Kengo.

"Oi, Kengo. Wake up. I got you medicine," Akira said, kneeling in front of him.

Kengo's eyes fluttered open. He propped himself up with one elbow. "I don't wannit…" he muttered, staring blankly at the pills in Akira's offering hand.

A small '#' sign appeared at the back of Akira's head. _I've had enough with these two… _"Eat it," he instructed. "Your fever's getting worse."

"No it's not…"

"Either you swallow these with water or I'll shove them down your throat _**without **_any water."

Thin, black depression lines ran over Kengo's face. He swallowed the pills obediently, lay back down and went back to sleep as Akira read more of his new manga. It was momentarily peaceful until Kengo seemed to be having a nightmare, thrashing around in the couch.

"N-No…" he mumbled as his breath picked up. He tried to bury himself further into the couch cushions.

"Kengo." Akira placed a hand on his, squeezing slightly. He was still very hot. He considered taking Akari's advice and take Kengo to the hospital. "Kengo, wake up."

His tense body relaxed a little under Akira's light cool touch. He stirred.

"Akira…"

"You all right?"

"Yeah…" He sat up. His hair was flattened on one side of his head. Akira made no attempt to hide his open gaze at his blond mess.

Akira stood up. "Will you be okay for at least twenty minutes?"

"Why?"

"'Cos I wanna go shower." Akira stretched. "Don't make that face. That'll only work on Aniki and Akari." Kengo was making a pitiful puppy face.

"Fine, go ahead," Kengo said, leaning back. He could feel the back of his shirt clinging to himself with sweat. He was starting to feel uncomfortable after long hours of sweating and feeling cold at the same time.

Akira noticed his little distress. "How 'bout you? I bet you haven't had a bath since yesterday," he said.

"Yup…"

"You can go shower down here then. I'm going upstairs. Here, clothes." He threw a black T-shirt and camouflage three-quarter pants over his shoulder, randomly pulling them out from a pile of laundry. "Towel's in the bathroom," he said, making his way to the stairs.

"Whose is this?" Kengo asked, looking at the outfit in his arms.

"Whose do you think? Akari? Though, it might have been." He thought of Akari's clothes, which the majority of it is boyish casual-style. Most of them were even bought at the men's section, using Akira or Kengo was a decoy. "That's mine, obviously. I wore that… last week. It's washed now, of course."

* * *

Kengo took a very short shower. He came out in Akira's clothes, a towel over his damp hair. He'd have preferred wearing his own clothes—Akira's wasn't enough to cover his whole body. But he was grateful enough that Akira paid attention to him.

He hated himself for throwing up even though Akira had specially made porridge for him. It had left Akira feeling concerned and him feeling sicker and hungrier.

He shuffled to the kitchen. Akira was still in the bathroom; he could hear the water splattering to the floor. He took a glass and filled it with water.

Another wave of dizziness knocked him so hard it almost threw him off balance. His vision blurred seriously and he felt as if he was standing on a boat in the middle of the sea on a stormy night.

His grip on the glass tightened as he gripped his head with his other hand, trying desperately to shake the feeling away. He failed. He had nothing to hold on to, nothing to refrain himself from falling to the cold hard ground, nothing to shove him away before he landed on the remains of his glass and water.

It had slipped from his hand, falling to the ground and breaking into a million pieces, the sound resounding in his head as if it was a bomb. He stared at the ground that was getting closer and closer to him as he fell, felt the earsplitting crack in his head, felt himself going numb, and vaguely saw a pair of legs rushing to him.

Then the world became a dark black abyss.

* * *

Akira was just drying his hair with his towel, slowly making his way down the stairs when he heard the unmistakable sound of glass shattering to the ground. It came from the kitchen.

He rushed down the stairs, leaping down it two steps at a time. He turned to the kitchen to see broken glass glittering everywhere and in the midst of it all, Kengo, slumped on the ground, some cuts on his cheek from when he landed on some shards, towel covering some of his features.

"_Kengo…!"

* * *

_

**This chapter was a bit long, don't you think? Though it was filled with mostly Akira and Akari's meaningless conversation. I am such a sadist… I just love making Kengo look weak and vulnerable, muahahaha... And also, I love the way Akira falls asleep immediately once he lies down when he's worn out… It's just too cute!**

**And did anybody see the newest chapter of Monochrome Factor? This might be a spoiler to those that haven't, but… I'm starting to look up to Aya now! { thumbs-up } She's the one that *&^^# Homurabi while Aki and Shiro *%%#! and the ending is so $##%...! XD**


	6. Chapter 6

_Fever __熱_

_Chapter 6__ 第六話_

Akira panicked. He didn't know what to do. He just stood there, staring down at an unconscious Kengo.

"_Shouldn't you take him to the hospital then?" _Akari's words resounded in his head.

"Hospital, hospital…" he said as he fumbled for his cell phone in his pocket. After the emergency call was made he tried to carry Kengo to the front door.

Akira stepped cautiously toward Kengo, carefully avoiding the glittering glass bits. In the end he uttered a cry of anger and impatience, ran to get the broom, clumsily swiped at them into a glittery pile, dropped the broom over it and lugged Kengo to the front door, leaning him against the wall.

He got their stuff—their cell phones, house keys, wallets. Akira even managed to shove his Walkman into his pocket when he heard sirens wailing in the distance.

* * *

As he was waiting in the waiting room, he called Akiakane.

"Hello, Akira?"

"Aniki…"

"Mm? What's wrong? You don't sound very good."

"Where are you now?"

"I'm at the set, right now I'm having a break."

"Will it be okay if you guys come back?"

"Why, what's wrong?" Akiakane's voice had a hint of concern in it.

"I'm in the hospital right now."

"What? ! What happened? !"

"Kengo's sick, didn't Akari tell you? He came over and he passed out. So I called for an ambulance. Oh and in case you haven't noticed, it was Kengo who was admitted."

"Is he alright?"

"Don't know. I'm in the waiting room."

"Which hospital is it?"

"Asagi."

"'Kay. I'll come as soon as I can. I'll tell Akari to call Mayu-san too." He hung up.

Akira stared at his phone. _Should I call Kou-nii? _He wondered. At that moment a nurse walked past him. His gaze followed her and he thought of Kou-nii endlessly hitting on the female society. _Nah, I probably shouldn't bother them… _

"What's wrong? You seem perplexed," Reiga commented.

"Rei… Kengo's at the hospital."

"Really? Why?"

"Aki said he was sick. Then he fainted. So he called for an ambulance. Do you think we can go home?"

"I'm not so sure about that."

Just then Akari came over, two steaming cups of tea in each hand. "What's wrong with you guys? Here, I got some tea."

"Akari-chan, your friend Kengo was sick. He's at the hospital now," Reiga said quietly.

Akari's eyes widened. "Wha—Seriously? !"

"Yup," Akiakane said. "Aki just called."

"Can't we go?"

"If we explain the situation maybe Takanashi-san would continue the shooting someday else," Reiga said. At that exact moment the young man called Takanashi-san passed by them. "Ah, Takanashi-san!"

Takanashi-san walked over to them. He is the one responsible for the shooting this time. "Yes?"

"Takanashi-san, there's an emergency. Can we continue this some other day?" Akiakane asked bluntly.

"Eh? But everything is almost ready."

Akari stepped closer to Takanashi-san, standing up a little straighter, making them the same height.

"Please, Takanashi-san! My brother is sick and he fainted! And it's very serious! If anything happens to him would you be responsible? Please, Takanashi-san!" Akari cried, a 'tearful' expression on her face.

Takanashi-san knew that Nikaidou Akari was not voicing out her true thoughts. He looked at Akiakane and Reiga for confirmation. The two tried to keep a straight face as he looked at them.

They sweat-dropped. "Since when did _Akira-kun_ get sick?" Reiga whispered.

"Since two seconds ago. In Akari's lie, that is."

"O-Okay, you can go. I'll call Morimiya-kun for the rescheduling, is that all right with you?"

"Thank you, Takanashi-san!" All three of them said as Takanashi-san sauntered off to break the news to the other staff.

"Which hospital is it, Akane-chan?" Reiga asked.

"Asagi hospital. Ah, Rei! Don't invent silly nicknames for me!"

"Well then," Reiga said, ignoring him completely. "I'll take of your luggage and all. But if he's okay, you'd have to come back, Akiakane. Akari and Akira can manage him fine. You two go on first, and I'll be there later."

* * *

"Etto… Asamura Kengo-kun's family?" A young nurse called, reading the name from a clipboard.

Akira stood up. "Uh… he was with me."

"Ah, really?" The nurse seemed kind, all smiles. "Are you Asamura-kun's friend?"

"Yes. Nikaidou Akira"

"Where is his family?"

"Our parents are currently working overseas. His older sister is on a business trip in Tokyo, and my older brother and twin are in Ikebukuro."

"Oh, really. Would you mind calling him, then? You're underage, and I'm afraid we need either a member of his family or someone who is above 21 years of age to sign the papers and all."

"They'll be here soon. How's Kengo?"

"It's not very serious, but his fever is too high, so we gave him some shots. He has to stay in a ward though."

"Oh… For how long?"

"It shouldn't be more than three days. You can go in now, but he's asleep because of the shots we gave him." The nurse led the way and Akira followed.

"Oh, and one more thing. When was the last time he ate?"

"He started to get sick yesterday, and was in bed all the time till I called and asked him to come over. Then I made porridge but he threw up afterwards."

"Ara, then I guess he'd be very hungry when he wakes up. You don't suppose you can ask your siblings to buy some food, don't you? We don't serve any dinner now, it's already eight o'clock."

"Okay, I'll tell them."

"Be careful not to get infected, okay?" The nurse said before she closed the heavy door behind her.

Akira sat at the red chair next to Kengo's bed, crossing his legs under him. It was cold.

_Damn it… It's autumn now, do they __**have **__to make this place cold? Lucky I didn't wear three-quarter pants like Kengo, _he thought, staring at Kengo's face. He was sleeping peacefully, though he'd cough dryly once every five minutes.

Akira sighed, curling in the sofa at an attempt to get more comfortable. He kept staring at the big rectangular windows and at the twinkling lights outside until he fell asleep.

* * *

_I have a lot of time in my hands, so I might be able to finish this story today! _


	7. Chapter 7

_Fever __熱_

_Chapter 7 __第七話_

"Akira? Kengo?" Akari opened the ward door quietly. Kengo was sleeping, and so was Akira, curled up in a red chair with a pillow under his head and a thick blanket draped over him.

Akari looked behind her at the corridors, watching for any sign of Akiakane. He had went to sign some papers and Akari had went ahead. A kind-looking pretty nurse came and greeted her.

"Hi there, are you a Nikaidou?"

"Y-Yes," Akari said, mildly surprised.

"Ara, I thought so! You look so much like that Nikaidou-kun! Ah, could it be that you're his twin? He did say he had an elder brother and a twin."

"Yes, I am. I'm Nikaidou Akari, by the way." She looked at the name tag pinned over her uniform. "Nice to meet you, Kotobuki-san."

Kotobuki-san looked into the room. "Ara, it seems like your brother is still sleeping." She smiled. "I just left him for around ten minutes and he is already fast asleep."

"Aha… He falls asleep very fast. Ah, did you put the pillow and blanket on him?"

"Yes, I did. He seemed cold. He is very kind, isn't he? I mean, he takes care of his friends."

Akari smirked at the word 'friends'. "Yes, he is. You know, Kotobuki-san, Akira's not very social. Kengo and us are best friends. That's why they treasure each other so much."

"Is that so… What about you, Akari-san?"

"It's obvious that I do too, don't you think?"

"Akari!" Akiakane called as quietly as he can.

"Aniki, are you done already?"

Kotobuki-san's eyes widened. "Ara, are you Nikaidou Akiakane-san? I had my doubts when I heard your family name is Nikaidou, seems like I was right!"

Akiakane looked at her for the first time. "Etto… Kotobuki-san, were you the one that treated Kengo?"

"I'm the one that is in charge of Asamura-kun, if that's what you mean."

"How is he?"

"He's fine. Just a fever too high. We gave him some shots."

"Thank you for everything," Akiakane said as he bowed slightly. Akari bowed too, echoing Akiakane's words.

"Oh, you're welcome! Well then, nice talking to you, Akari-san. If you'll excuse me I'll be going now." Kotobuki-san bowed slightly before walking away.

They both went in. Akira was still sleeping. As Akari wrapped her black scarf around his neck however, he stirred.

"Mmph… Akari?"

"Yup. It's me." She squeezed and sat beside him as he sat up, and she wrapped the blanket over both of them.

Akiakane sat down in another chair at Kengo's other side and placed a hand over his forehead. "He's still hot."

"Nah. His temperature's gone down a bit. He was even hotter before. Oh yeah. Did you call Mayu-san? I forgot," Akira said. He shoved Akari lightly. "Akari, go get another chair."

Akari went and sat on Kengo's bed.

"I called, but she said it'd be impossible for her to come today. She says she'll try and come tomorrow, if she can," she said.

She leaned towards Kengo, reaching out to stroke Kengo's pale face, who at the moment was coughing again. She rested the back of her hand on Kengo's forehead, parting his bangs. She was wearing her favorite silver ring with a rose on its surface, and its coolness calmed him a bit, it seemed. His uneasy, sickly expression melted once more into a peaceful one.

All three brown-haired siblings stared at their sick blonde friend. He was sleeping deeply, and he seemed to like the coolness of Akari's hand on his forehead.

"Oh shit… H-How do I move now? My hip is hurting…" she said; already tense for having to keep up that pose.

"Akari. Will yourself to move. And your brain will do the rest and your muscles will move," Akira said, as if speaking to a three-year-old.

"And don't say shit. It's a bad word," Akiakane said in mock horror.

"Oh come on. Aki says it all the time! And Kengo and Kou-nii and even you." She got up and sat closer to Kengo's head.

Akira got up, stretching, and wrapped the black scarf back around its owners neck. Akari looked up questioningly.

"Going somewhere?" she asked.

"Toilet. It's too cold here. Then I'll go get something to drink for us all."

"Oh, then do you want to change into something warmer? You look freezing," Akiakane said.

"Well I'm the only one with short sleeves here." Akira looked at Akari with her long-sleeved grey shirt and black scarf, and at Akiakane his green T-shirt and green-lined white jacket, then at his own nearly-sleeveless black hoodie.

"You have to take that choker off though, I only have a turtleneck." Akiakane handed him a paper bag.

"Nuh-uh. This stays here," Akira said, fingering it and taking the bag. "What do you guys want?"

"Tea," was Akiakane's immediate reply.

"Okay… What about you?"

"Mmm~ What are you getting?"

"Hot cocoa… I think."

"Then me too."

* * *

Akira got out of his black hoodie and pulled Akiakane's turtleneck over his head gratefully. Then he fastened back his choker round his grey neck. _Now I look like Akari… Oh well, I'm starting to love Aniki and his long-sleeved shirts…_

He got out from the toilet and smoothed down his hair in front of the big mirror. Then he went in search for hot drinks.

* * *

There was a light knock on the door before someone opened it. It was Kotobuki-san.

"Ara, ara, we meet yet again, don't we?" She smiled. "It seems that Asamura-kun has yet another guest again tonight."

Akiakane looked up from his English book. "So it seems."

Morimiya Reiga walked in and set down a couple of bags. "Are? He's still sleeping. By the way I brought food and drinks here. Why are you looking at me like that? I bought tea, so don't worry." The two present Nikaidou siblings were staring at him.

"Rei… You could've told us sooner. Akira just went out to buy some," Akiakane said.

Reiga was handing out warm cans of milk tea. "Hai, Nurse-san. Is milk tea fine?"

The dark-haired nurse with a waist length braid smiled. "Thank you. Calling me Kotobuki is fine."

"Hello? Akira? Where are you?" Akari was speaking into her phone."

"Looking for drinks."

"Come back. Reiga-san came He already bought some."

Akira sighed exasperatedly. "Fine, fine." He hung up.

* * *

A few minutes later, Akira came into the room. He was mildly surprised that the number of guests for Kengo had increased to five, including him. He accepted the still warm can of milk tea from Reiga.

"Is it really necessary for Kengo-kun to spend the night here?" Reiga asked.

"Hmm… If he was awake then it would've been much easier, wouldn't it?" Kotobuki-san mused. "And from Akira-kun's story there doesn't seem to be anyone in his home right now. It'd be best if he rests here."

At that moment Kengo coughed hardly and woke up. They all stared at him.

"A…kari?"

"Hello there! You all right?"

"Aniki too… And Reiga-san… Weren't you supposed to be in Ikebukuro right now?"

"You're in a hospital right now, dumbass. They're worried," Akira said, an irritated look on his face.

"H-Hospital?"

"Don't you remember? You fainted. And you broke one glass. Next time I'll only let you drink from a plastic cup. I didn't clean up the mess yet. So if somebody slipped or stepped on glass it is entirely your fault, not mine." Akira delivered this in mostly one long breath, and he sounded more irritated than ever.

Everyone sweat-dropped. Akira stalked across the room to the door.

"Where are you going?" Akiakane said.

"Outside, obviously. I'm gonna call Aya," he added, and closed the door behind him without so much of a backward glance.

"Well then, I'd better get going too," Kotobuki-san said, standing up. "Thank you for the tea, Morimiya-san. See you later, Asamura-kun and the Nikaidous." She went out, too.

"What's he so pissed about?" Akiakane voiced everyone's thoughts.

"I think I know." Akari smiled. "He's pissed, because he's the one that brought you here, but when you woke up, you're focused on us instead, Kengo!"

"Eh?"

"Ah, youth!" Akiakane chuckled. "Aki's not getting the attention he wants, isn't he? He's a little bit jealous!"

"Akane-chan, you sound like a forty-year-old," Reiga teased.

"What?"


	8. Chapter 8

_Fever __熱_

_Omake __おまけ_

_Chapter 8 __第八話_

"Kengo~!" Akari called delightfully, bursting into the room. She had woken up early to make bento Akira, Kengo and herself, made several attempts to wake Akira up which ended in failure and had led to literally pull his arm and had him fall off his bed, and came to the hospital with Akira.

He wasn't there.

"Are? Where is he?" Akari put down her stuff and bounced on the bed, burying her face in the pillow.

Akira looked at the bathroom. Someone was in there; he could hear the sound of water. He spotted the bathroom light switch, went over to it and flipped it off.

"Wha—?"

Akira turned to look at Akari, who at the moment was staring at him with interest.

"He's in there," he said.

"Akira!" Kengo opened the door and almost collided into Akira's face, who managed to stop him by placing a hand on his chest. Kengo's hair was still wet, and he looked like he had hastily gotten into a pair of jeans.

"What are you doing?" Akira asked nonchalantly.

"Huh? Why'd you do that?" Kengo took a step closer to Akira, pushing against the hand on his chest.

"Ara, coming straight at me right after you showered—don't tell me you swing 'that' way." Akira's words sound acute but his face had 'I'm having fun' written all over.

"Wha—"

"And with that look," he continued, referring to Kengo's wet hair and bare torso. "Are you trying to turn me on?" He smiled devilishly, like a wolf that successfully had a sheep cornered, literally. He pushed Kengo against the wall, pinning his arms.

"Wa… Akira—" Kengo was blushing slightly.

Akira leaned in, and Kengo winced.

"Fufu, you dumbass…" Akira whispered with what can be said as seductiveness into Kengo's ear. The blonde's resistance faded, as did his knees.

Akira let go, and Kengo went down on his hands and knees, his face all red.

"Uwaa~! I surrender! I give up! Akira you're horrible~!" he cried. Again, literally, but comically.

"Oya oya Asamura, your face is getting hot, isn't it?" Akira teased.

"Of _course _it is! You S!"

"You M!"

Kengo's head hung low, disheartened.

Akari sweat-dropped. "I don't know what to say to this, but a part of me feels sorry for both of you." _Shirogane that guy, he's been hitting on Aki too hard before I came here. Or maybe Kou-nii accidentally influenced him. I bet Akira's taking the seme role and Kengo the uke. Ah~ I totally guarantee that. _

"Ehe, but another big part of me totally enjoyed that."

"Wha—?" they both cried out.

"I like the first part of you better! Though that part doesn't make me feel happy at all!" Akira said.

"Me too!"

"Ahahaha, thank you for the eye candy!" Akari laughed. "And why don't you dry yourself already, you'll get back your fever if you're not careful."

"Oh. Right." Kengo got up and started to go back to the bathroom again, switching on the light switch as he did so. He caught Akira's eye, and he smirked at him. Kengo went in and glumly closed the door.

Akira went and sat in the red chair beside the bed.

"You really are merciless, aren't you, Akira?"

"Do you only notice that now?"

"You sadist."

"You're a sadist too. Even Aniki, when he gets too tired or pissed and snaps. It runs in the family."

"The Nikaidou family, a sadistic trait. It does have a strangely nice ring to it."

"The Asamura family, a masochistic trait."

…

"Please don't say that to him."

"I'll try." Akira cocked his head. "…I think."

Kengo came out of the bathroom, fully dressed and fully irritated. "So, what brings you here so early? There's still a lot of time before I check out." Kengo's fever had fully subsided during the night and he had been allowed to go back the next day.

He sat on the bed beside Akari. "And you're wearing nice clothes."

Akira was wearing a pair of black shoes, dark jeans and his white shirt with the black-and-white checkered collar and cuffs from his 'favorites' collection. He was absentmindedly chewing mango-flavored soft candy Akari had given him.

While Akari, unusually, was wearing her black sandals, a two-layer dark purple and black skirt, and a lilac-colored blouse with thin ribbons at the sides. A sling bag hung on her shoulder and her thick unruly hair were pulled into a ponytail.

"And you're in girls' clothes today," Kengo said.

"What the… You're making me sound like I'm actually a guy that wears girls' clothes on special occasions," Akari scoffed.

"Kengo."

"What?" He looked at Akira.

"Because of you everybody were worried. So there'll be a penalty game for you. Akari thought it up."

"Hee~" he whined.

"Shut up I'm not finished." Akira propped his feet up on Kengo's lap.

"So that penalty game will be… one full day of hanging out with me!" Akari threw her hands up in the air.

"Hee~ But does that apply to Akira?" Kengo pointed at them teen in front of him.

"Of course!" Akari answered.

"Don't point at me you—" Akira slapped his hand away.

"And _so_, we'll be going right after this, but for now, let's eat!" Akari cut him off, and cheerfully held up the bag of lunchboxes.

"Just how much do you intend to eat?" Akira asked, eyeing the three-tier lunchbox.

"We're healthy full-grown teens remember?" Akari arranged the tiers on the bed carefully. "Wahau~ It looks delicious!"

There were a variety of food arranged neatly in two tiers—fried chicken, tamagoyaki, tempura, and some others. The last tier was packed full with triangular mounds of onigiri.

She picked up a roll of tamagoyaki and held it to Kengo's face. "Kengo, aah~!"

"A-Aah~" Kengo chewed and swallowed. "It's good!"

"Hehe, of course it is!"

"What are you, six?" Akira asked.

Akari held up another roll of tamagoyaki to Akira's mouth next. "Aah~"

Her twin just stared at her with half-lidded eyes. She sweat-dropped. "Come on, please!"

No response.

She shoved it to his face. "Ah, I get it I get it! Haun!" Akira chomped it down.

"How is it?"

He looked sideways, wiping his messy mouth, as if the name plate with Kengo's name on it suddenly seemed interesting. "Not bad…" he muttered.

Akari stuffed her mouth with two rolls of tamagoyaki, swallowed it down and munched on an onigiri next.

"Eat up! We have a big day ahead of us!" she said.

* * *

"So, where're we going?" Akira asked. They'd just emerged from the automatic hospital glass doors.

"Hmm… We have a lot of bags here so we're dumping them at home," Akari said, referring to her bag with the three-tier lunchbox, now much lighter since it's empty, and Kengo's backpack, which Akari and Akiakane had stopped by Kengo's house to pack some clothes in.

A little '#' appeared on Akira's head. "If that was the case then we could've just eat at home!"

"No, that's not fun." Akari started walking. "We have to board a train to get to where we're going to, anyway."

"Where _are _we going?"

"Oh, come on, I'll tell you later."

* * *

"Jajann~" They'd arrived.

"An amusement park?" Akira said.

"Yeah! It's been so long since we went to these kinds of places; we never passed the height requirements, anyways. So I thought maybe we'll enjoy here!" Akari said, excited.

"And look! They have bungee jumping here too!" Kengo pointed at the notice board.

"Seriously? Yay! I wanna try it! We'll go together! Wait here, I'll go buy tickets." Akari ran ahead to the counter.

"Kengo, aren't we forgetting something?" Akira asked.

"Hmm?" They tilted their heads together as they stared at Akari's running figure for a few seconds.

"Ah," they both noticed.

"She's wearing a skirt."

...

"Ah..."


	9. Chapter 9

_Fever __熱_

_Omake: Amusement Park __おまけ：遊園地_

_Chapter 9 __第九話_

"What do I _now_~?" Akari whined. They were sitting on a bench some distance away from the amusement park.

"I can't ride on _anything_!" She thought about the near future.

When the roller coaster goes upside down, bingo.

When the ship that swings from side to side, then in a full circle, bingo.

When the ride that shoots up and drops down speedily, bingo.

When on the carousel-like ride that has seats like swings spun faster and faster and the people on the outer seats gets spun higher and higher, bingo. And she intended to sit on the outermost seats.

"Haa…" Akari hung her head, depressed. "This is my favorite skirt, too… At first I'd thought that we'd go to the movies or something and walk around the city, but that seemed kind of boring so that's why I thought we'd come here instead. Some of my friends from Miyamori came here the other day and they said the rides were awesome."

"Wait a minute." Akari suddenly stood up and whipped out her cell phone from her sling bag.

"What's wrong?" Kengo asked.

"Wait a sec," Akari said as she looked up a number from her contacts directory. The other person soon picked up.

"Hello, Hisako? … Em, it's been a while! … Nee, you said you're working part-time at a family restaura—yeah… Really? You see, I'm here right now. … Eh? With my brother and friend. … No I'm not! Thanks, see you later." Akari hung up.

"Aah~ I'm so lucky! My best friend works part-time at a family restaurant nearby, so I thought I can go there and change. Can I?"

"Change into what?" Akira asked.

"She's wearing jeans and sneakers. We're about the same size."

Akira sighed. "It can't be helped, right? Since you already called her and all. Come on, let's get this over with."

* * *

"Ah, Akari!"

They saw a tall girl waving at them.

"Hisako!" Akari flung into her arms.

"Haha, you're as hyper as ever!" She smiled at Akira and Kengo and bowed slightly. "Nice to meet you, I'm Katagiri Hisako." Her waist-long purple hair was pulled back into pigtails, and, sure enough, she was nearly as tall as Akari.

"Asamura Kengo." Kengo grinned.

"…Nikaidou Akira."

"Oh, so you're Kengo-kun and Akira-kun! Akari here'd talk about you guys sometimes." Hisako grinned. "Come in then!" She led them in through the back door into a space where the staff rested.

"Could we really come in here?" Kengo asked.

"Don't worry! I already asked the chief. Sit down, you guys. Akari, you go in there. My locker has my name on it. Here's the key."

Akari went into the ladies' dressing room, and the others sat down on chairs.

"Ah, Hisako, you brought your guitar here?" Akari said from the dressing room.

"Of course I did!"

"Hee~ How's everybody?"

"They miss you. They hate you."

"Haha..."

Hisako noticed Akira's and Kengo's slightly confused faces. "We're in the light music club at Miyamori. I play guitar, and Akari does guitar and vocals."

"Eh? Really?" Kengo said. "I never heard anything!"

"Hehehe… You never asked!" Akari came out in jeans and sneakers. She sat down beside Hisako. "There're nine members, five guys and four girls. Four guitar players, two vocalists, two keyboardists, two drummers, and one bassist. One boy and one girl for each instrument, except for the bassist, which is a guy."

"Since Akari transferred, I had to sing. Usually I depend on Shin though…" Hisako stood up. "I won't bore you with details, so off you go! Have fun!" She ushered them to the exit.

* * *

"Waah~ That was fun!" Akari said.

They had went on the roller coaster thrice, the boat that swings from side to side, the ride that shoots up and down, and the carousel with swings thrice, and now sat on a bench to rest and wash their dizziness away and get their voices back.

"Where are we going next?" Kengo asked.

"Bungee—" Akari started.

"Hey," Akira said. "Wanna play a dare?"

Kengo and Akari listened with interest.

"Let's play that one." He pointed to a booth. You had to shoot at moving targets. It was quite a big booth, and was obviously meant for teens.

"Eh~? But that—" Akari said, but was cut off again.

"Whoever loses, will have to go through a penalty game."

"Eh?" the other two said. "What?"

Akira smiled. It wasn't a kind smile. "You'll see."

They gulped. "O-Okay…"

* * *

The person in charge explained the game. The rules were simple: shoot at the targets. The number of successful shots is displayed on the screen above. The current highest score was fifty-eight. The time limit is three minutes and forty-five seconds.

Kengo went first. He managed fifty-nine and broke the record.

A small crowd had begun to form around them to see, mainly because the girls thought Akira and Kengo looked cute, and the guys thought Akari deserved a little publicity because she's pretty and was going to play too. Most of them thought the twins looked cool, and familiar, but they can't remember.

Akari went next. Some people cheered. Kengo handed her the gun, and she switched it to her left hand, for she was left-handed. She aimed and shot with one hand. People cheered when she shot fifty-nine. Then sixty. Then sixty-nine.

"Yay! I got sixty-nine!" She said as she handed the gun to Akira.

"Hmph, don't get cocky."

Akira broke the fifty-nine-shot record. Then the previously sixty-nine-shot. He barely got seventy.

* * *

"So," Akari said as they walked away from the booth and crowd.

"You lost, Kengo," Akira said.

"But that's because you chose a game I'm bad at!" he protested.

"Then what do you want to play?" Akari asked.

"Dancing games?" He said, even though he already knew the answer.

"No," they replied.

"See? If I competed dancing against you guys I would've won!"

"You idiot, don't choose a game we're bad at," Akira frowned at him disapprovingly.

"I just said that to you!"

"Anyways, what's the penalty?" Akari asked, ignoring him.

Akira smirked. He pointed to a nearby one-storey building. It wrote 'Cosplay Mania' at the plate beside the automatic doors.

"Cosplay?" both Akari and Kengo said.

"Since when did you like playing dress-up?" Akari asked.

"Shut up." Akira swung an arm around her shoulders and brought her closer to him, their backs facing Kengo. "We can make him put on maid's clothes and other stuff."

Akari's eyes widened. "I have my camera with me." She swung around, whipping out a green digital camera, and quickly snapped a picture of Kengo, with the cosplay building as the background. Her eyes gleamed. "Let's go!"

"Wait a minute." Akira placed a hand on her shoulder. "Since when did you bring that?"

"Eh? I've been taking candid pictures of us since the beginning. Anyways come on! I'm gonna snap pictures of Kengo in maid outfits and bunny girl outfits and other ridiculous outfits!" She went on ahead.

"Haa? M-Maid? Bunny girl?" Kengo stood frozen to his spot.

Akira smirked evilly again. "You won't get a chance to escape, Kengo. Muahahahaha…" He went after Akari, dragging Kengo behind him by the collar. Kengo didn't put up a fight. He just put on a defeated and tearful face.

* * *

_Hahaha... I like Akira and his evil faces... By the way it's a lil' weird, isn't it? This story was supposed to be about Kengo having a fever and now that he's better they go to an amusement park... I just thought that the 'Kengo gets better' ending seemed a little boring, so I added some spice! XD_


	10. Chapter 10

_Fever __熱_

_Omake: Amusement Park __おまけ：遊園地_

_Chapter 10 __第十話

* * *

_

"Pffft…!" Akira covered his mouth, trying to prevent laughter from escaping, the other clutching his stomach. He'd never thought Kengo would look _this ridiculous _in a maid outfit. It looked rather fitting, though.

They had gotten a booth, which is more like a small room with soft red cushions against one wall and some changing rooms with thick curtains.

Kengo had begged for another cosplay outfit. The twins refused, each one holding an outfit—a maid's and a red-colored bunny girl's. He still needed encouragement.

A, choose either one and get changed.

B, get stripped and dressed by Akari.

C, get stripped and dressed by Akira, then be forced to spend the rest of the day in cosplay.

So of course, Kengo chose the first option.

And now, he emerged as a maid, headdress and all. It was a simple outfit, a short-sleeved, collared black shirt and a white frilly dress over it.

He put his hands to his hips and pouted. The twins stared at him, Akari taking pictures.

_He's surprisingly cute when he does that…_ they thought.

"It's finished now, right? Come on, let's go already!" Kengo said.

"Not yet. You shot fifty-nine targets right? Akari shot sixty-nine. So you still have nine outfits to go," Akira said.

"Eh~? Well, I guess guy's clothes are fine, just don't give me any more weird ones…"

"Hah hah ha! Then how about this? We can all cosplay together! A lady gave me this," Akari said, holding a small jar with paper strips in it. "You pick one out then you find an outfit that matches it."

Akira picked one out. "Mansion," he read. Then he pointed at Kengo and Akari. "I'm the master, you're the maid and you're… the butler, since Kengo's already in a maid outfit."

"Are you gonna play too, Akira?" Akari asked disbelievingly.

"Or else I won't have anything to do except watch. Besides, I never did this kind of thing before."

Akari picked a butler outfit, and hid her ponytail inside the collar.

"Master, I'm done!" She opened the curtain. Akira had simply worn a black coat over his white shirt. "You both look very convincing… And very cool…"

The other two stared at her.

"And you look… handsome," Akira commented.

"Should I take that as a compliment or an insult?" Akari asked as she adjusted the camera.

Akira sat in a chair looking high and mighty, and Kengo and Akari posed as if they were serving him.

…

"Okay, next!" Akari pulled out a piece of paper. "Vocaloid. Yay!"

"Vocaloid?" Akira said. "Who are you going as?"

"Kagamine Le—"

"Pick a girl. And you're too tall."

Akira as Akaito, Akari as brown-haired Hatsune Miku, and Kengo as Kagamine Lint.

…

"England?" Kengo asked confusedly.

"Yay! Dresses!" Akari said.

Akira and Kengo in suits and Akari in an elegant purple dress.

…

"Historical…" Akira said.

Akira in a blue-tinged white hakama, Kengo in a green-splotched white one, and Akari in a light blue yukata with black sakura petals.

…

"Hah! Finally done!" Akari plopped down. Their last getup was 'fighting'. So they simply switched to their Shin forms, Kengo with his Al Cesta gloves.

"Ugh, I hate dress-ups…" Akira grumbled.

_Then don't choose cosplay as penalty games next time_, Akari and Kengo thought.

* * *

"Bu-Bungee~" Akari and Kengo stared happily at the bungee ride ahead.

"Hoho he's jumping!" Kengo said. They heard the yells of excitement the teenager made as he plummeted down. Akari and Kengo clasped hands, showing ridiculous happy faces.

Akira sweat-dropped. "Come on already…"

…

"Bungeeee~! Whooo~!" Akari yelled as she jumped.

Akira sweat-dropped. "She sounds happy."

"Because it's fun!" Kengo said.

"Next!"

Akira let the man attach the bungee gear around him. He stepped closer to the edge. It was very tall; he could see everything in the big amusement park, and the people looked like upright little ants. He could see Akari on the ground, jumping and waving up at him.

Suddenly he felt a yawn coming, and halfway through it…

"Mou, hurry up and jump, Akira!" Kengo pushed him from behind.

"U-Uwaa," Akira lost his balance and fell.

"Uwa bakaaaaaa~!"

…

As soon as Kengo got down Akira kicked him in the gut, hard.

"Oww… Why'd you kick me?" Kengo asked, rubbing his poor stomach.

"Why'd you push _me_? I wasn't prepared! And I could've jumped down myself, thank you very much!"

"Haha, maa, calm down, Akira. We came here to have fun anyways," Akari said.

"How is that 'fun'?"

"It might not be fun for you, but it was plenty of fun for _us_."

"… Then it's my turn to have fun. Wanna go there?" Akira pointed to a signpost, irritated.

It was directions to the Scream Park. It's one of the most popular and scariest haunted houses/scream parks in Japan.

"Please forgive me."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I'll treat you to crepes over there, how 'bout that?" Kengo said, pointing to a crepe stand.

The twins stared at him.

"Really?" Akari said expectantly while Akira said doubtfully.

"Em!"

* * *

"Woah, these are really good!" Akari said as she chewed on her apple and cinnamon crepe.

"Mm-hmm," Kengo said with his mouth full of banana, cream and chocolate chip crepe.

"How 'bout yours Aki?"

"Pretty good." His was chicken ham and cheese, with onions, mayonnaise and parsley leaves.

_Pretty good…? _Kengo and Akari watched as Akira ate his crepe with big bites.

Akira noticed. "What?"

They quickly averted their eyes. "Nothing."

It was already evening, and the sky was tinged with oranges, pinks and purples. Akari took pictures of the beautiful autumn sky while the other two finished their crepes.

As she was swinging around taking random pictures, she happened to take a picture of a balloon man with the Ferris wheel and the sky as the background, with colorful balloons.

"Nee, let's go on one last ride before we go home," she said.

"What?" Akira said, licking his fingers.

She stood before them, smiling and pointing at the Ferris wheel. "That. We'll be able to see the sunset."

Akira stood up too, stretching and popping his knuckles. "Fine. After this we'll have dinner and go home, I'm tired."

"Wait. Let's take a picture. Come here, Kengo." She pulled Kengo up and close to her and Akira, holding the camera some distance before them.

They all smiled, though Akira's wasn't very apparent. But he wouldn't have come here if he was alone. It's been a while since he had fun.

* * *

"Waah~!" Akari and Kengo pressed their hands against the glass, eyes all sparkly. "It's beautiful~!"

Akira looked at the sunset outside through the small space the other two had left from pressing themselves to the glass and his eyes widened. It _is _beautiful.

Akira smiled wryly and took the camera, taking a picture of them, faces lit by the golden light outside.

After that they went to the family restaurant where Katagiri Hisako works again so Akari can change back into her skirt and sandals. They ate dinner there, and Hisako made them parfaits with extra everything. Akira gave some of his to Akari since he didn't like sweet food.

"Thank you, Hisako!" Akari said as they were leaving.

"Don't worry about it, just don't tell anybody else, okay?" Hisako laughed. "I'll visit you if I have the time."

"Em!"

…

Akari stretched as they were making their way to a train station to go home.

"Emm~ Should we go out tomorrow too?"

"Haa? You wanna go out again?" Akira asked.

"Well, tomorrow's Sunday."

"I'll pass."

"Why?" Akari and Kengo asked.

"My wallet's thinning," he lied.

"Even though you paid for nearly nothing?" Akari said.

"What did _you _pay for?"

"Entrance fees, bungee and dinner."

"…You?" he asked Kengo.

"Crepes.

"You only paid for that shooting game and cosplay, Akira. Well, I guess we won't go anywhere tomorrow, since Aniki, Mayu-nee, Shirogane and Kou-nii are coming back. Aya too."

_Ah. _"Hey, should we go somewhere tomorrow, after all?"

"Haha, I bet it's because everybody's coming back tomorrow, isn't it?" Akari said. "Well, I wanna have these printed anyways." She patted her sling bag, meaning the camera and its pictures.

"Yoshi, let's have takoyaki tomorrow! I'm buying!" Kengo said.

Akira smiled just a little as he watched his two lifelong companions in front of him. He was sure that nobody else could replace them. After all, he was hard to please.

"Yoshi, tomorrow it's Kengo's treat! Since he only treated us to crepes," he said, slinging an arm over their shoulders and colliding into them.

"Eh? You only paid for games, Akira! And don't I get a say in this?"

"If you ask, no, you don't get a say in this. Akari's been paying the most, remember? Have a little pity on my sister!"

"But what does that have got to do with _you_?"

"I'm her twin."

"What do you mean, I don't understand it one bit, Akiraaa~!"

_Hah, payback for bungee…_

_~ END ~

* * *

_

_Hehe… Loved how Kengo pushed him off… XD_


End file.
